The present invention relates to bird feeders, and more specifically to a bird feeder having a pair of pivotable hangers which are used to support and automatically level the bird feeder.
Bird feeders of various sizes and configurations are widely used to provide wild birds with a ready supply of seeds. The feeders usually comprise a tray or other supporting surface on which the seeds are placed upon and which the birds may perch to get at the seeds. To make birds more apt to use the feeders, a large number of bird feeders are designed to be hung from tree limbs or other elevated structures. For feeders of this type, the support structure normally used to support or retain the feeder on the tree limb takes the form of one or more hooks which are attachable to the tree limb. These hooks are connected to the bird feeder tray by one or more pieces of string, rope, cable or other suitable material. In most cases, a piece of rope is secured to each corner of the bird feeder tray and connected opposite the bird feeder to a single hook in order to provide equal support to all corners of the bird feeder tray.
While the pieces of rope, string, cable, etc. provide adequate support to retain the bird feeder on the limb, in many situations the use of these materials to support the bird feeder in this manner results in the bird feeder being supported on the tree limb such that the bird feeder is not level. For example, one or more of the ropes attaching the feeder tray to the hook can be longer or shorter than the remaining ropes. Also, even if the bird feeder is secured to the tray in a level configuration, the particular method of attachment of the ropes to the supporting hook may allow the ropes to become lengthened or stretched over time, or to slide with respect to the hook, resulting in a situation where the bird feeder tray is no longer positioned in a level configuration. This results in a situation where bird seed placed on the bird feeder may spill over one or more sides of the feeder. Furthermore, the weight of birds landing on the sides of the feeder tray can exacerbate the uneven tray and cause even more seeds to spill out of the tray.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a supporting mechanism for a bird feeder which automatically levels the bird feeder tray upon attachment of the mechanism to a tree limb, and which incorporates support structures which will maintain the bird feeder tray in a level, horizontal position while the feeder tray is in use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a supporting mechanism for a bird feeder which automatically levels the bird feeder tray upon attachment of the mechanism to a tree limb or other supporting structure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a supporting mechanism for a bird feeder which incorporates a number of support members which are capable of maintaining the bird feeder tray in a level position while the bird feeder is in use.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a supporting mechanism for a bird feeder which has a simple construction that is easily assembled and employed in conjunction with conventional bird feeders.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a supporting mechanism for a bird feeder that can be stored within the feeder when not in use, e.g., during shipment of the bird feeder.
The present invention is a supporting mechanism for use with a bird feeder including a generally flat seed tray. The mechanism incorporates a pair of pivotable hangers connected to the bird feeder and operably connected to one another. The hangers are attached at opposite ends to opposed sides of the bird feeder tray, such that when the bird feeder is not in use, the hangers can be positioned in a nested configuration within the bird feeder tray.
The mechanism also includes a single hook attached to the hangers opposite the tray. The hook includes a limb attaching loop that is releasably engaged with a tree limb and a hanger securing loop that is slidably mounted to both of the hangers.
When the bird feeder is to be mounted to a support structure, the limb engaging portion of the hook is grasped and pulled outwardly from within the bird feeder to withdraw the hangers from within the bird feeder. The hook is pulled outwardly until the hangers are fully extended out of the feeder tray. When the hangers are fully extended, the hangers are automatically aligned with respect to one another to support the feeder tray in a level configuration. The limb attaching loop of the hook is then attached to the tree limb or other supporting structure, so that when the hook is secured to the tree limb, the hook functions to maintain the hangers in alignment with respect to one another and to the feeder tray such that the bird feeder is constantly maintained in a level, horizontal position.